Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Make First Appearance Since Royal Exit

Stefanie Parker
·4 min read

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A brand new chapter! Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attended a private event in South Beach, FL on Thursday — marking the first public appearance the couple has made since stepping back from their royal duties earlier this year. It’s been reported that while Prince Harry delivered a speech at the JPMorgan event, the mother-of-one did not.

This event will likely be the first of many for the pair, who are officially adjusting to their new life — away from the royal family — in Canada with their son, Archie. “This decision [to leave] had been weighing on them for a long time, and they are relieved to have it done,” source previously told People. “A weight has been lifted off their shoulders.”

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On Jan. 8, the pair shocked just about everyone when they announced that they had made the decision to “carve out a progressive new role” and “work to become financially independent.” And so far, they’ve been doing a great job at accomplishing that. Since the news, the couple has allegedly nailed down a plethora of paying gigs, including a voiceover deal with Disney for Meghan and an upcoming AppleTV+ mental-health special for Harry with Oprah Winfrey.

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“After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution. We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment. We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages. This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity. We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.” – The Duke and Duchess of Sussex For more information, please visit sussexroyal.com (link in bio) Image © PA

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Jan 8, 2020 at 10:33am PST

“It’s full throttle for them right now,” an insider told People. “They have a lot happening in 2020, and it will be really exciting to see.”

And while the pair’s controversial decision came with support from Queen Elizabeth II, the same doesn’t go for every member of the royal family. Kate Middleton reportedly hasn’t spoken to her sister-in-law since the news of the royal exit, and it’s put a serious strain on their relationship. But according to sources, the former Suits actress isn’t fazed by the mother-of-three’s behavior. In fact, it’s been a relief.

“Meghan feels free. She has never been happier. She’s happy to be out of London. She was surprised at how quickly everything happened,” the source confirmed. “They knew they’d have to relinquish their titles, but the pace it happened surprised everyone. The palace thought it would take longer, but they went with it.”

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